Americas region shortlisted entries
Celebrating Excellence in Contracting
It is with great pride that we announce our shortlisted entries for the World Commerce & Contracting 2025 Innovation & Excellence Awards for our Americas regional entries.
These highly regarded awards showcase the very best from our international contracting and commercial management community. The World Commerce & Contracting 2025 Innovation & Excellence Awards Highlight and honor the remarkable efforts and advancements made by professionals and teams in commercial and contract management.
Congratulations to everyone included, this year's candidates have demonstrated remarkable vision and exemplary practice. Through their innovative approaches and commitment to excellence, they are actively reshaping how organizations approach commercial and contract management. Their achievements serve as powerful case studies that demonstrate the strategic value that outstanding commercial and contracting functions deliver to organizations.
Celebrate with us in Denver, Colorado!
Join us for a joyful celebration during our 2025 Americas Summit in Denver, Colorado, (06-07 October 2025) where we'll be announcing the winning submissions.
Shortlisted Submissions
We received a very high calibre of entries, so to have made the shortlist is a great achievement – congratulations to everyone included, also a huge thank you must go to all entrants.
View the full shortlist and their submission summaries below.
Company: BSH Home Appliances GmbH
Submission Title: Negotiation Breakthrough: Turning Performance into Win-Win Value
Summary
The Performance Monetization initiative transforms procurement negotiations by linking supplier performance ratings to tangible financial outcomes. Implemented within BSH Home Appliances by Artem Koverznev, this innovative framework bridges the gap between qualitative evaluations and pricing logic, creating measurable incentives and improving supplier collaboration. The concept was designed to be scalable across global markets and is currently being rolled out in both North and South America. By introducing structured logic, aligned KPIs, and transparent cost-driver breakdowns, the initiative ensures consistency, boosts savings, and fosters trust-based relationships. Backed by executive endorsement, this solution is now part of the company’s strategic negotiation toolbox.
Company: Boston Scientific
Submission Title: Optimizing Cost and Capacity: A Negotiation Breakthrough in Nuclear Isotope Sourcing
Summary
Faced with rising costs and limited global reactor capacity for producing life-saving liver cancer treatments, Hareesh Viswanathan led a high-stakes negotiation initiative to rebalance supplier commitments. By strategically reducing reliance on the most expensive supplier and securing a long-term, cost-controlled agreement with the most affordable partner, Hareesh's initiative delivered multi million dollars in projected savings over five years. This success not only ensured uninterrupted patient access to critical therapies but also demonstrated the power of smart, value-driven negotiation in a complex, high-risk supply chain.
Company: Ambev
Submission Title: Scaling Contracts to Sustain Commercial Strategy: Ambev’s 49% Volume Growth and 74% Time Cut
Summary
Ambev, the largest brewery in Brazil, changed its commercial strategy, which made it necessary to formalize a higher volume of contracts. This shift led to a 49% increase in the number of quarterly contracts. To support this operation with speed and control, even with a lean legal team of just five people, the company implemented a new contract workflow with netLex. Standardization and automation enabled 95% of contracts to be finalized without direct legal involvement, and the time to formalize contracts dropped by 74%, repositioning the legal team as a strategic partner.
Company: CBRE
Submission Title: Empowered Together: Building Trust and Knowledge through Collaborative Commercial Training and Partnership
Summary
CBRE and their client partnered to effectively educate their teams and stakeholders on the complex commercial and contractual framework of their new global partnership. To ensure long-term success of their joint objectives, the teams collaborated on a unified training program focused on contractual/commercial fundamentals. This resulted in a series of joint commercial training sessions providing a safe space for team members to ask questions and understand the governing principals of the partnership. Supporting materials, including FAQs, guidance and AI-generated virtual learning sessions, were also created to facilitate ongoing education for current team members and new hires.
Company: Corpay
Submission Title: Financial Data Platform: Innovating Contract Execution, Compliance, and Scalability through Technology
Company: Valley Health System
Submission Title: Achieving Operational Excellence in Global Contract Management
Company: Novaspect Inc.
Submission Title: Evolving Contracting as a Strategic Asset
Summary
Novaspect undertook a comprehensive overhaul of its contracting process, leveraging customer service feedback and investing in crucial technology, including a robust CLM platform and AI-supported negotiation tools. These initiatives broke down silos, enabled broad platform access, and halved contract negotiation times. Enhanced collaboration between sales, project management, and legal teams, along with targeted training, improved both internal and external customer satisfaction. Integration with existing CRM systems streamlined workflows, while self-service features increased transparency and efficiency. As a result, operational efficiency soared, customer satisfaction improved, and the company is now recognized as a leader in contracting excellence by industry partners.
Company: Lenovo
Submission Title: Lenovo SSG Legal and Global Contracts Team (Americas)
Summary
The contracting team at Lenovo is made up of over 70 legal and contracts professionals providing global coverage for all Lenovo vendor and sales contracts including products, solutions and services contracts in addition to supporting the Global Supply Chain. The team implemented the One Lenovo Contracting Initiative focussed on optimizing and improving the contracting process across Lenovo to drive revenue growth and contribute to the overall success of the sales function and Lenovo as a whole.
Company: CBRE
Submission Title: Set Up for Success: Excellence in Transition Ensures Sustainability of Long Term, Strategic Partnerships
Summary
Through an initial pilot project, the CBRE Commercial team created a new suite of templates and guidance to build a standard process that colleagues and clients can utilize to ensure a contract is transitioned effectively from strategic and commercial perspectives.
This has had a significant impact on recent contract wins and ensures that all new contracts are set up to deliver the long-term, strategic goals of all parties, and to ensure client stakeholder satisfaction is maximized.
This has had a significant impact on recent contract wins and ensures that all new contracts are set up to deliver the long-term, strategic goals of all parties, and to ensure client stakeholder satisfaction is maximized.
Company: Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
Submission Title: Unified Vision: SMPA's Strategic Sourcing Group, Transforming Contracting for Strategic Excellence
Summary
Our organization achieved a major transformation by unifying the contracting processes of seven merged companies into a single, advanced Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) system and process. This initiative involved migrating over 30,000 contracts, standardizing policies, and integrating within key functions like Legal, Compliance, and IT. The result was a significant boost in efficiency and risk mitigation, alongside strategic insights that drove substantial supplier consolidation and a dramatic 61% YOY cost savings. This project not only streamlined operations but also turned contracting into a powerful strategic tool, supporting our company's "High Five" goals and redefining excellence in contract management.
Company: Consult at Phase 0 LLC
Submission Title: CABA™ Framework: Transforming the Global Business Paradigm by Elevating Contracts from Cost Centers to Strategic Capital
Summary
The CABA™ (Contracts as a Business Asset™) Framework revolutionizes how organizations manage their third-largest asset class by transforming contracts from legal obligations into strategic capital. Created by WorldCC Council Member Frederikke, this methodology has generated over $550 million in realized value across Fortune 500 implementations. Through the Contract Asset Maturity Model™, organizations progress from reactive contract management to strategic contract capital optimization, achieving average ROIs of 15:1. CABA™ positions contracts alongside real estate and intellectual property as balance sheet assets, creating sustainable competitive advantage and unlocking trillion-dollar global opportunities for strategic value creation.
Company: Corpay
Submission Title: Strategic Digital Transformation through Data Architecture: Corpay’s $500M Revenue-Driving Financial Platform
Company: DEI Directive
Submission Title: DEI
Summary
Leadership sometimes approaches DEI from a strictly compliance standpoint (doing only what is legally required). We now know a lot of research shows how DEI drives innovation, market share, new markets acquisition, global reach, employee engagement & productivity. With many employees leaving their organization (great resignation) and others quiet quitting, organizations are now actively seeking solutions to accommodate the changing workforce demographic (majority Millennials & Gen Z, & almost 50% women & non white).
Company: Epiroc
Submission Title: Driving Sustainability in the Supply Chain
Summary
Epiroc Canada, in partnership with its suppliers, leads in sustainable supply chain management by embracing circular economy principles. Through innovative strategies and a strong remanufacturing program, Epiroc extends component life, reduces waste, and proves that sustainability drives business success. Looking ahead, Epiroc plans to expand its remanufacturing efforts and explore new innovations to boost efficiency in mining and construction. Their approach sets a powerful example, showing how environmental responsibility can align with profitability. As more companies adopt these practices, the industry can shift toward greener, more cost-effective operations—demonstrating that what’s good for the planet is also good for business.
Company: Aurora Solar
Submission Title: Powering Solar Growth Through Intelligent Workflow Automation
Summary
Aurora Solar transformed the solar project lifecycle by embedding sales, design, pricing, financing, and contract execution into one streamlined system. Central to this is Contract Manager, enabling faster, more accurate contract completion within Aurora’s AI-powered platform. Commercial users leveraging HelioScope cut design costs by 90% and compressed timelines using tools like Similar Obstruction Detection, which maps rooftop obstructions in seconds. By automating complex design tasks, Aurora Solar helps residential and C&I installers accelerate project delivery, close more deals without expanding headcount, and ensure accuracy and compliance, driving measurable impact across the solar industry through efficiency and intelligent automation.
Company: Capgemini
Submission Title: Reimagining Business Operations: Capgemini’s AI-Driven CCM & Legal Platform
Summary
Capgemini’s CCM and Legal teams revolutionized contract management with an in-house platform launched globally in 2024. With 90% adoption, it processes over 31K requests across 8K+ accounts, reducing time-to-contract and improving cycle-time predictability. The platform enhances risk mitigation, ensures audit-ready compliance, and supports sustainability goals by reducing CO₂ emissions and energy consumption. Recognized by ALM, the Financial Times, and Lexology, it positions CCM and Legal as strategic enablers, driving operational agility, commercial excellence, and measurable business value across Capgemini’s global operations. This innovation is now a blueprint for enterprise-wide transformation.
Company: Golden Pass LNG
Submission Title: Smarter, Faster, Stronger: The Golden Pass Contracting AI Initiative That Transformed Performance
Summary
Golden Pass LNG’s Contracting AI Initiative, in partnership with Dandilion, transformed contract management by deploying an AI-powered platform – Autonomous Resource for Contracts (ARC) - to automate tasks, accelerate contract cycles, and enhance quality. The results have been astounding, achieving 90% reduction in redline review time, 50% improvement in high-value activity effectiveness, and multi-million-dollar value capture potential. ARC’s intelligent tools improve risk visibility, guide negotiations and standardize documentation, empowering the team to shift from reactive to proactive value delivery. The initiative showcases how thoughtful AI adoption can drive measurable impact, elevate team performance, and set a new industry benchmark.
Shortlisted for Excellence in Negotiation
Shortlisted for Excellence in Negotiation
Company: Shell Malaysia Trading SDN BHD
Submission Title: Shell Asia App- Digital Platform Service Negotiation
Summary
Incredible journey of a Digital Platform Service contract negotiations to transform our digital platform from Multi-stack tech (21 suppliers/components) to Integrated SaaS (3 suppliers/components). From only 5 markets to 7 markets in Asia on a single integrated platform. Cost Improvement achieved is USD14M with a better contract stretched to a 10 years contract rather than 5 years to meet full potential of asset life cycle.
Company: National University Hospital (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Submission Title: Redefining Negotiation in Singapore Public Healthcare: Unlocking Value Through Early Supplier Involvement
Summary
The National University Hospital (NUH) in Singapore has transformed negotiation with a new Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) framework. By focusing on contract planning and engaging suppliers early before Request for Proposal (RFP) publication, NUH has elevated the quality and value of proposals received while maintaining the procurement fairness and transparency required in public healthcare sector. The result? This strategic approach has not only delivered significant cost benefits, but also improved supplier relationships. This transformation has set a new standard for negotiation in public healthcare — showcasing true excellence in negotiation is through creativity, collaboration, and shared value creation with suppliers.
Shortlisted for Post-Award Contract Excellence
Shortlisted for Post-Award Contract Excellence
Company: PricewaterhouseCoopers
Submission Title: Contractual Claims Assessment Tool
Summary
PwC NewLaw's Generative AI enabled Claims Process Tool (CPT) is a cutting-edge digital solution that automates and enhances the construction claims process. The CPT analyzes large volumes of unstructured data to determine and communicate reasoned outcomes for various claim types, such as Extensions of Time, Delay Costs, and Variations. The CPT reduces the time and cost of claims management by up to 90% and 73% respectively, while improving accuracy and transparency. The tool is a comprehensive and future-proof solution that can handle any project and sector, driving business success and innovation in the construction industry.
Company: Persistent Systems Limited
Submission Title: Increasing Efficiency by Implementing Contract Governance and Process Transformation
Summary
The implementation of contract governance and process transformation has revolutionized our contract management process, enhancing efficiency and reducing risks. By implementing a tailored Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) tool, we have streamlined workflows and improved visibility across 230+ contractual attributes. Our approach includes a comprehensive contract handover process, a robust Risk Management Plan (RMP), and an integrated Account Health Card (AHC) for real-time risk monitoring. These initiatives have resulted in 100% visibility of obligations, reduced turnaround times, and a better compliance rate for obligations. This transformation has significantly improved collaboration, delivery efficiency, and overall contract governance.
Company: Persistent Systems Limited
Submission Title: ContractAssIst - Enabling enterprises to achieve greater efficiency and to optimize costs
Summary
Many enterprises struggle with managing high volumes of contracts, leading to inefficiencies and lost productivity. ContractAssIst leverages Microsoft's technology ecosystem, including Azure AI, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and Microsoft Teams, to deliver advanced contract management capabilities. It provides real-time collaboration tools, AI-enabled decision support, and natural language processing for enhanced contract analysis. With features like real-time version tracking, instant notifications, and approval summaries, ContractAssIst reduces communication overhead by up to 95% and saves 20–25 minutes per user daily. This holistic solution ensures compliance, optimizes operations, and drives data-led decision-making for better business outcomes.
Shortlisted for Operational Improvement
Shortlisted for Operational Improvement
Company: Accident Compensation Corporation of New Zealand (ACC)
Submission Title: Refresh of Mailhouse Services - Lean Agile Procurement
Summary
The Refresh of Mailhouse Services project at ACC utilised a Lean Agile Procurement (LAP) process to address fragmented services, high costs, and inefficiencies. By consolidating services under one Master Services Agreement and shifting to a digital-first approach, ACC achieved significant cost savings, efficiency improvements, and enhanced data security and privacy. The initiative also reduced the environmental impact and received positive feedback from stakeholders and suppliers for its collaborative and innovative approach. The LAP process enabled ACC to complete the procurement timeline significantly faster than traditional methods, delivering exceptional value to all stakeholders involved
Company: Greater Wellington Regional Council
Submission Title: Te Hunga Whaikaha Total Mobility, Transport Services for the Wellington Region (THWTM)
Summary
"Te Hunga Whaikaha Total Mobility procurement project exemplifies how procurement can drive operational excellence while delivering significant social value. Greater Wellington Regional Council has successfully leveraged procurement as a strategic tool to enhance service outcomes, benefiting over 16,000 permanently disabled people by ensuring access to safe, reliable, and appropriate transport.
Key operational improvements:
• Supplier enablement and capacity building
• Enhanced market engagement
• Operational efficiency and transparency
• Social procurement with commercial viability
This project has laid the foundation for continuous improvement, strengthening operator relationships to generate a more inclusive and accessible service for disabled people in our community."
Key operational improvements:
• Supplier enablement and capacity building
• Enhanced market engagement
• Operational efficiency and transparency
• Social procurement with commercial viability
This project has laid the foundation for continuous improvement, strengthening operator relationships to generate a more inclusive and accessible service for disabled people in our community."
Company: Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and Arts
Submission Title: Putting Queenslanders First During Disasters
Summary
We faced growing challenges of responding to natural disasters with the urgency and agility required to support vulnerable Queenslanders. A solution was needed that balanced speed and compliance while being intuitive enough for users across different levels of procurement expertise. The challenge extended beyond revising documents; it required a transformative approach to enable seamless collaboration, streamline decision-making, and empower both internal staff and external resources to act swiftly and effectively during crises. the EPP framework was reviewed and enables seamless collaboration, streamline decision-making and empowered both internal staff and external resources to act swiftly and effectively during crises.
Company: Wiwynn Corporation
Submission Title: Wiwynn CLM Journey
Summary
Wiwynn, a leading cloud IT infrastructure provider, demonstrated its strong capabilities in innovation and operational excellence by implementing Contracts 365 to modernize its contract management process. Transitioning from reliance on its parent company’s system, Wiwynn adopted an independent, cloud-based solution integrated with Microsoft 365. This upgrade significantly improved efficiency, reducing contract request times to under 30 seconds. With a user-friendly interface and automation, Wiwynn’s legal team managed increased contract volumes without adding resources, showcasing the company’s ability to adapt to growing demands. This transformation highlights Wiwynn’s commitment to agility, efficiency, and leveraging advanced technology to maintain its industry leadership.
Company: Lenovo
Submission Title: Lenovo SSG Legal and Global Contracts Team (AP)
Summary
The contracting team at Lenovo is made up of over 70 legal and contracts professionals providing global coverage for all Lenovo vendor and sales contracts including products, solutions and services contracts in addition to supporting the Global Supply Chain. The team implemented the One Lenovo Contracting Initiative focussed on optimizing and improving the contracting process across Lenovo to drive revenue growth and contribute to the overall success of the sales function and Lenovo as a whole.
Shortlisted for Strategic Achievement
Shortlisted for Strategic Achievement
Company: National University Hospital (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Submission Title: Transforming Contract Management to a Strategic Function
Summary
Faced with rising cost pressures and inconsistent contract practices, NUH embarked on a transformative journey to elevate contract management to a strategic function. By introducing contract lifecycle management and a playbook, upskilling contract managers, changing mindsets about contracts, the National University Hospital (NUH) in Singapore achieved SGD 50 million in cost containment within just nine months. More than cost-cutting, this transformation redefined commercial excellence—driving long-term value, strengthening partnerships, and enhancing risk management. NUH’s approach demonstrates contract strategy and management can be a powerful enabler of financial sustainability and why C-suite should focus more attention in this area.
Company: Essential Energy
Submission Title: Essential Energy's Contract Management Capability Uplift
Summary
Essential Energy operates one of Australia's largest electricity distribution networks, covering 95% of New South Wales and parts of southern Queensland. We are committed to delivering safe and reliable power, supporting the energy transition, and promoting electrical safety awareness. Our Contract Management Capability Program (CMCP) aims to transform contract management within the Assets & Operations division, enhancing skills, reducing risks, and increasing value creation. The CMCP has established a Contract Management Office and developed comprehensive frameworks and tools, resulting in higher contract value creation, more skilled and engaged employees, lower transaction costs, and improved contract performance and safety.
Company: Wisdom Japan Speakers Network
Submission Title: Sales Mastery and Global Impact: Leveraging Kyosuke Nagai's Sales Techniques
Summary
At Wisdom Japan Speakers Network, I, Kyosuke Nagai, led a transformative initiative to revitalize B2B sales across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. By embedding empathy, relationship-building, and adaptability into sales strategies, we addressed outdated techniques and shifting consumer behaviors. Through tailored workshops and pilot programs, we empowered teams to connect deeply with clients. The results were exceptional: a 25% sales increase, 40% rise in repeat business, and a cultural shift toward customer-centricity. This success highlights the enduring power of empathy and innovation in driving sustainable growth and meaningful client relationships.
Shortlisted for Excellence in Technological Innovation for Contract Management
Shortlisted for Excellence in Technological Innovation for Contract Management
This award recognizes outstanding achievements in the integration and application of cutting-edge technology to enhance contract management processes.
Key areas of focus include:
- Implementation of a tech solution
- Significant improvements in efficiency, accuracy, and/or accessibility of contract data
- Driving business success and compliance
Judging criteria:
- Evidence of the technology solution uniquely solving a significant challenge in contract management
- Demonstrable improvements in process efficiency, risk reduction, cost savings, and compliance
Special thanks to our esteemed judging panel
Fayola Maria Jack
EMEA & Americas Regions
Keld Jensen
EMEA, APAC, and Americas Regions
Claude Marais
Americas Region
Cricket Middleton
Americas Region
Jerry Pessah
Americas Region
Ashish Seth
APAC Region
Elizabeth Vazquez
Americas Region
